Ten Steps to Writing an Effective Press Release

by Janae Cummings, PR Associate

There’s a common misconception that press releases are a foolproof method for increasing client exposure at minimal expense. Technically, I suppose that is true, but what most people forget, or, perhaps, never realize is that the likelihood of a press release not only being read but also published really depends on how well it’s written. By following these simple steps, you should be well on your way toward developing press releases that will be hard for the media to refuse.

1. Is the topic newsworthy? Just because your client is excited about something doesn’t mean it counts as news, so consider your audience and their interest. Next, a press release should answer the 5 Ws – who, what, where, when and why. If it can’t, it likely reads like an advertisement and either needs to be re-written or not written at all.

2. Write strong headlines and first paragraphs This isn’t a five-paragraph essay. State the good stuff first to capture the attention of the journalists who will publish your press release and the audience who will read it.

3. Just the factsAvoid the fluff and exaggerations. Journalists will see right through it and either edit your release or not run it at all.